Say no to eliminating First 5 Funds

FIRST 5 FUNDS THREATENED TO BE ELIMINATED

Please take a moment to read the following as it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. It directly affects all families, children and providers associated with and or participating in First 5 services and classes. It also affects First 5 employees, like myself, who have worked extremely hard and passionately the past 7 years, dedicating our jobs to providing children and families with affordable and available services, classes, workshops and preschool readiness.

Introduced by Senator Dutton (R) Riverside, SB 486 eliminates First 5 completely and redirects Prop 10 dollars to general fund children’s services. If passed by Legislature it would then require voter approval.

SB 486 will be heard by the Senate Health Committee on April 13. While an identical version of this bill had been introduced twice by the late Senator Cox and rejected both times by Legislature, today’s budget environment remains extremely unpredictable. Those wishing to voice an opinion on this bill can contact State Senator Tony Strickland, a key member of the Senate Health Committee. More information is available (including a sample letter) can be found at http://www.f5ac.org/ and by clicking on the left hand tab titled “News and Updates”.

Send letters of opposition by one full week prior to the hearing to:

Senator Ed Hernandez, OD

Chair, Senate Health Committee

State Capitol

Sacramento, CA 95814

In addition, we’re urging parents and providers to take a moment a fill out our “First 5 Hand” in support of First 5. Please take a moment to write a sentence or two of how First 5 has helped you, someone you know, or your facility. Feel free to include a picture of your child or family, or a drawn picture. We’re asking that all “Hands” be mailed or dropped back off to either of our centers no later than April 5^th, next Tuesday.

We’re up against a tough deadline here, so please show First 5 your support!

** We're currently trying to keep this off of the ballots. If it makes it to the ballots and passes, First 5, will be eliminated within 90 days of it passing. Help us to keep First 5, state wide, in action! Below I've included some key points to what the proposed bill will entail. Below that you can find the letter I will

Senator Robert Dutton (R-Riverside & San Bernardino) has introduced SB 486, a bill identical to SB 1109 (Cox) from last year. It contains the following provisions:

• Eliminates funding to all First 5 commissions (state and county) and, instead, requires Prop 10 tobacco tax revenues to go to the General Fund for the Healthy Families and Medi-Cal programs.

• Abolishes the state and county First 5 commissions 90 days after enactment.

• Requires unencumbered funds from county commissions to be divided between the county offices of education, for transfer to school districts within the county, and the county treasurer, to be divided between the county and cities in the county.

• Directs the bill to be submitted to the voters as a ballot initiative.

If you're interested in writing a letter of opposition, feel free to forward it to me. Our center will be doing a mass drop-off of all letters and first five family hands to Senator Tony Strickland's office next week.

Help us keep this off the ballots, and keep the decisions in the hands of the voters, and most importantly - the services in the hands of our children.

Say no to cutting First 5 funds and oppose SB 486!

The following is my personal letter to Senator Hernandez and Senator Strickland is opposition of SB 486. You can find a sample letter to send under News and Updates at http://www.f5ac.org

March 29, 2011

Honorable Ed Hernandez, O.D.
Chair, Senate Health Committee
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814

Fax: 916-445-0485

Re: Opposition to SB 486 (Dutton)

Dear Senator Hernandez,

I am writing on behalf of myself, Stephanie Otwell-Curtis, and my
family in opposition of SB 486.

First and foremost, we are a First 5 family.

Senator Dutton proposes to use SB 486 to divert all revenues collected
under the California Children and Families Act (Proposition 10 of
1998) to the General Fund to be used to provide health care services.
This will immediately end all local programs First 5 commissions
currently fund, which include a wide range of health and development
services, quality child care and early education, support for at-risk
families, child abuse prevention, early intervention for children with
special needs, parenting education, family literacy, nutrition and
anti-obesity efforts.

As a parent, early childhood education facilitator, advocate, and
current Moorpark/Simi Valley Neighborhood for Learning Scholarship
Program Coordinator, I understand the importance that accessible and
affordable preschool readiness brings. Preschool readiness programs,
preschools and family childcare centers facilitate developmental,
emotional and social growth of children. Furthermore, these programs
aid in the recognition of behavioral and developmental delays in
children that otherwise go unobserved and impede assessment in some
cases until as late as elementary school age. Removing funding from
these programs will hinder the prevention of early intervention and
the inclusion of children with alternative needs in childcare programs
for those who need it most; those who cannot afford it without
subsidized assistance. Health care services alone cannot fulfill this
need.

Since January of 2005, our Scholarship Program has provided children
in the community of Moorpark and Simi Valley with nearly 600 childcare
subsidy grants. We have provided over 60 Parent Education workshops to
Scholarship families.

As a family, we have participated in Mommy and Me classes since my son
was born. We have utilized the Developmental and Car Seat Safety
checks we offer. Our parents, siblings and friends have volunteered
over the years to support the Moorpark/Simi Valley NFL in local
events.

Unlike SB 486’s proposition, First 5 addresses the needs of the whole
child as well as the specific needs of each community.

The voters have spoke, in 2000 when Proposition 28 was rejected and
again two years ago when Prop 1D was voted down. SB 486 once again
undermines the voters and our capacity for local decision-making.
Eliminating First 5 funding would not only be a disservice to the
voters, but detrimental to the numerous communities of parents,
guardians and children that have come to depend, support and grow with the First 5
Commission and its community resource centers.

We urge you to vote no on SB 486. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Stephanie, Shaun and Sullivan Curtis